With the changes in lifestyles, the health-consciousness of overall society shows an inclination toward self-medication. With this trend, awareness of daily health care is increasing. Typical health problems commonly experienced by adults are lower back pain, shoulder pain, oversensitivity to cold, blurred vision, menstrual cramps, joint pains, and the like. The recent advances of IT in offices have also given rise to additional health problems, such as pains of the lower back, shoulders or neck and eyestrain. It is is predicated that to alleviate, cure or prevent these symptoms through daily life at home will be a popular choice. For instance, thermotherapy with a disposable heat pack body warmer (a heat generating element containing an oxidizable metal) applied to an affected part (e.g., the lower back) is known to help provide pain relief. It is expected that such thermotherapy will become increasingly popular on the individual level.
Commonly assigned JP 2002-65714A and JP 2002-78727A propose an eye mask type vision improving device and an eye mask type meibomian gland function improving device both of which supply steam to and around the eyes. These treating devices supply steam at a temperature that does not become a noxious stimulus to and around the eyes thereby to relax and improve the ciliary muscle, improve the vision, or improve the meibomian gland function. Seeing that the devices are designed to be applied to and around the eyes, the time of supplying steam is so short as not to cause a noxious stimulus, i.e., several tens of minutes at the most. These devices aim at improvement of vision or the meibomian gland function. However, the publications cited above do not mention whether the devices are capable of improving other physiological functions. Neither do they mention whether the devices give a wearer a feeling of relaxation.
Apart from the treating devices, commonly assigned EP 1147752A1 proposes a steam generating unit that supplies steam to a wearer's skin or mucous membrane. In a mode of application, the steam generating unit is designed to leave a gap of 5 mm or more between the unit and the bodily part, e.g., the skin or mucous membrane. However, because this mode of application requires a large quantity of steam, it is not easy to secure prolonged moist heat generation.